GXRLS IN STEM ISSUE 2020 #2 MAY

ARTWORK: ELLA MAJD ‘22 (SFS)

The Stigma Around The Larger Fight Vaccines INTERVIEW WITH DR. Girls in Nutrition Madeleine Sarah Murad MAYA DAS Natalie Keating tells Popofsky explains how Celia Johnson her story in pursuing documents the role the cures we are interviews Dr. the field of study she of Gxrls in STEM desperate for Maya Das, a female loves beyond the press come to our local epidemiologist doctor’s offices 7 8 10 14 2 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020

GXRLS IN STEM WAS CREATED TO BRING TOGETHER STUDENTS WHO IDENTIFY AS FEMALE OR NON-BINARY ACROSS DC AND INSPIRE US TO PURSUE OUR INTERESTS IN STEM. WE PUBLISH IN THE WINTER AND SPRING. WE ARE DEDICATING THIS ISSUE TO EVERYBODY ON THE FRONTLINES ON THE PANDEMIC. YOU ARE OUR HEROES. 3 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020 SPOTLIGHT GROWING TOPIC: STRONG Breakthroughs Your friendly neighborhood gxrls are back at it again with another issue of Gxrls in STEM magazine! in Medicine In the time since our last issue, our community of gxrls has spread its roots, sprouting beyond the paper to lead workshops and connect with younger gxrls. And now, in this latest CONTRIBUTORS issue, we look at the inspiring role gxrls have played in health, medicine, and disease. Did you know that one in three working women is an essential worker? As gxrls, we have a whole legacy of women pumping the oxygen vital to maintain our public health and our economy. A whole legacy of women uprooting gender barriers and tilling the soil so that we can grow. Nurturing your passion in often male-dominated STEM fields can be tough, but in AVANI AHUJA LAYLA DAWIT the words of Dr. Kidest Assegued, a physician who kindly gave us her time, “BLOCK THE NOISE and pursue your EDITORS-IN-CHIEF/CO-FOUNDERS/ WRITERS dream.” GRAPHIC DESIGNERS AVANI AHUJA ‘22 (GDS) We recognize that the times we live AVANI AHUJA ‘22 (GDS) BROOKE BAO ‘22 (SFS) LAYLA DAWIT ‘22 (SFS) JOYA BREINHOLT’22 (GDS) in are unexpected and frightening. In LAYLA DAWIT ‘22 (SFS) the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, EMMA DOWER ‘22 (SFS) we want you to know that we are with ASSOCIATE EDITOR/GRAPHIC LYRA GEMMIL NEXON ’22 (GDS) you. Alone we can bake, we can bike, DESIGNER CARMEN GITCHELL ‘22 (GDS) we can binge, but together, we can MADELEINE POPOFSKY ’22 CELIA JOHNSON ‘21 (GDS) make our community bloom in even (GDS) LUCIE JOHNSON ’23 (GDS) NATALIE KEATING ’21 (SFS) the strangest of circumstances. Even ASSOCIATE EDITOR ALIZA LUBITZ ’22 (GDS) a global pandemic will not stop us, as SARAH MURAD ‘22 (SFS) SARAH MURAD ‘22 (SFS) we are distributing this issue of Gxrls NORA O’CONNOR ‘22 (GDS) in STEM online in order to safely EDITORS MADELEINE POPOFSKY ‘22 (GDS) share the personal stories and latest ELEANOR GAUGH ‘22 (GDS) GRACE ZHAO ‘22 (SFS) developments from gxrls at Sidwell LYRA GEMMILL-NEXON ‘22 Friends and Georgetown Day School. (GDS) ARTWORK CELIA JOHNSON ‘21(GDS) AVANI AHUJA ’22 (GDS) We hope that this magazine will bring LAYLA DAWIT ‘22 (SFS) you comfort and a sense of connection FACULTY ADVISORS VIRGINIA HEINSEN ’20 (GDS) to your fellow gxrls, no matter how SUZY HAMON (GDS) ELLA MAJD ‘22 (SFS) far apart we may be. And if you ever VINAY MALLIKAARJUN (GDS) MADELEINE POPOFSKY ’22 (GDS) need any support, our family of gxrls DARBY THOMPSON (SFS) ANNABEL WILLIAMS ‘22 (GDS) will always be there for you. We grow ALDEN ZHANG ‘22 (SFS) stronger together. COVER ILLUSTRATION ELLA MAJD ‘22 (SFS) Best, Layla Dawit and Avani Ahuja 4 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020

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24 23 Crossing Norway for a Cure The Heroes of the Night’s Watch: A Tribute to By Aliza Lubitz 16 Health Officials Working During the COVID-19 Pandemic Quantum Computing By Layla Dawit 5 By Lyra Gemmill-Nexon 17

Period-Tracking Apps: Wolves in Sheep’s Wxmen in STEM Statistics Clothing? By Maya Landweber 18 By Carmen Gitchell and Joya Breinholt 6-7 Treatment Options for COVID-19: Does an Effective The Stigma Around Girls in Nutrition Drug Already Exist? By Natalie Keating 7 By Nora O’Connor 19

The Larger Fight: How Gxrls in STEM is Combating Henrietta Lacks and the Ethics of Medical Gender Inequality Breakthroughs By Madeleine Popofsky 8 By Celia Johnson 20

Vaccines: How are they Developed and Why Does Expected Economic Impact of the Coronavirus it Take So Long? By Emma Dower 21 By Sarah Murad 9 The Ethics of Somatic and Germline Gene Editing Car T-Cell Therapy: The “fifth pillar” of Cancer By Lucie Johnson 22 Treatment By Avani Ahuja 10-11 Bioprinting By Grace Zhao 23-24 Seeing isn’t Always Believing: Synesthesia and Prosopagnosia Teen Stress By Madeleine Popofsky 12-13 By Brooke Bao 24

Interview with Epidemiologist Dr. Maya Das Science Memes and Crossword 25-27 By Celia Johnson 14-16 By Layla Dawit

5 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020 The Heroes of the Night’s Watch: A Tribute to Health Officials Working During the COVID-19 Pandemic Layla Dawit ‘22 (SFS)

s the COVID-19 pandemic worsens, doctors and nurses stand on the front lines risking their lives to protect us. Imagine that. I use hand sanitizer every time I step out of the houseA to ride my bike or walk my dog. I’ve seen people wearing masks and gloves while nervously purchasing groceries. Yet our health officials go to work each day, wading through the front lines of the battle they refuse to turn their backs on. Each sickbed they visit poses a threat, but they take that risk.

Doctors and nurses lift up our communities while burdened themselves by shortages of protective gear and the weight of the constant threat of contracting the virus and infecting their families. Over 100 doctors have already died from COVID-19 Artwork: Layla Dawit ‘22 (SFS) across the world, and as more and more health officials contract the virus, they pose a greater risk goes on behind hospital walls? While the virus frustrated “as a treating physician, the inability to their loved ones. Dr. Stephen Anderson from has yet no cure, hospitalized patients are still to order [tests] as we see has caused a delay in Washington state sums up this sentiment through treated for their symptoms and provided with intervention.” his report to the New York Times, in which he breathing support. According to Assegued, complains, “I am sort of a pariah in my family. I am patients call in to her hospital before visiting, This issue has struck hospitals nationwide, as dipping myself into the swamp every day.” where virtual practitioners such as herself organizations across the country, including provide medical advice as well as emotional the Association of State and Territorial Health The cloud of fear this virus brings hangs low support. Officials, the Association of Public Health over the families of local health officials as well. Laboratories, and the Council of State and I spoke with Dr. Kidest Assegued, a physician at Only in life-threatening cases are patients Territorial Epidemiologists documented Kaiser Permanente. Assegued works in virtual admitted into Assegued’s hospital, where they “widescale shortages of laboratory supplies and medicine, meaning that she interacts with patients are immediately separated into tents based reagents.” The situation varies from state to online from her home. Yet she spoke of a colleague on whether they show symptoms of an upper- state, with one of the most extreme responses so who lives in a rented apartment for fear of going respiratory illness or another serious condition, far in New York. A lack of resources led New York home and infecting his newborn and ten-year-old such as a heart attack, without symptoms of City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene children, as well as another friend who isolates COVID-19. After this split, coronavirus patients to issue a statewide order that “COVID-19 testing herself in a separate room from the rest of her are kept in the Intensive Care Unit, or ICU, is only indicated for HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS.” family. without any contact with their loved ones. According to this statement, as of March 20th, on the front lines in New York, not only would Even while health officials face barrages of threats While patients are kept in isolation for safety suspected cases be denied testing, but doctors to themselves and their loved ones, Assegued purposes, this separation can bring anxiety to and first responders would not even be afforded says that for doctors, “our ultimate reward is a many families. Assegued explained that one testing after interacting with infected patients. healed patient.” These heroes selflessly sacrifice of her patients, an older woman in a decades their security and peace of mind for the chance long marriage, could not see her husband In the midst of all of these challenges to to save people they may have never met. Even because he was COVID-19 positive in an ICU doctors and nurses, they still return each day retired doctors have answered the call. In New York and had developed pneumonia. In these cases, to their duties, donning and doffing their masks, City, in one day, 1000 retired doctors and nurses Assegued and other doctors play an important respirators, goggles, gloves, and gowns to slow answered Mayor de Blasio’s request to help their psychological role for patients and their families, the spread of the virus and protect families community one last time. In the words of Laura “making sure they don’t fall apart,” as she puts across the country. They are, to quote George Carstensen, founding doctor of the Stanford Center it. R.R. Martin, “the fire that burns against the cold, on Longevity, “think of older people as the cavalry the light that brings the dawn, the horn that coming over the hill.” Not for fame or rewards, Testing wakes the sleepers, the shield that guards” each these shields protecting our communities felt a Yet health officials suffer from a lack of high- of us. calling to lend their arms to the growing bulwark demand supplies such as testing kits. Assegued of health officials providing their skills out of pure explains that among doctors, “the viciousness of To all of the health officials carrying the torch selflessness. the virus and the uncertainty of our abilities to for the next generation of gxrls through your fight back is robbing our confidence.” She shared example of selflessness in a time of anxiety and The Process with me that ordered tests must go through a calm in the midst of a storm, thank you so much. In the face of risk and uncertainty, what really difficult chain of approval. Assegued is We look up to you. 6 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020 Period-Tracking Apps: Wolves in Sheeps’s Clothing? Carmen Gitchell ‘22 (GDS) and Joya Breinholt ‘22 (GDS)

professionals. It is clear that the innovators behind most period-tracking apps are not doctors or women empowered by the femtech revolution; instead, they are male executives seeking a business opportunity.

Knowing who made these apps, it makes sense that they wouldn’t be medically accurate. Period- tracking apps also don’t have regulations from any organization saying that they have to be medically accurate to be classified as “healthcare technology.” The University of Washington conducted a study of nearly 700 users and concluded that they “didn’t feel like the apps were very good at supporting their particular needs or preferences.”

Because many of these apps were not developed by healthcare professionals, they do not understand the intricacies of menstruation. For example, if you had a stressful week or did not get much sleep, your app might not understand how that would affect your menstrual cycle. Some apps do not even have the option to input birth control, which can make your period more irregular or halt it altogether.

The lack of accuracy is even apparent on an ARTWORK: ANNABEL WILLIAMS ‘22 (GDS) anecdotal level. For instance, one sophomore at GDS said of their app: “It’s usually in the same f you ask a AFAB (assigned female at birth) track your period. Tracking your period can be window, but almost always a day or two off”. Even student at GDS or SFS if they themselves challenging without a lot of experience, and when an app has options for you to input relevant or somebody they know uses an app to these apps do it for you. Also, many users feel data, those options are often hidden as “in-app track their period, there’s a big chance that these apps are more discreet, with many purchases.”Many apps also operate on a cisgender, that they’ll say yes. On the surface level, having options to lock them with a passcode. It heteronormative standard, assuming that all users Iperiod-tracking apps are exactly what they is clear why period-tracking apps have recently are cisgender women who are in relationships sound like: apps in which you input data about become extremely popular among AFAB, with cisgender men, which reduces its accuracy your menstrual cycle to receive predictions as particularly adolescent AFAB: they promise and usefulness for any groups beyond that. to when your next period will be. Many of these convenience, accuracy, and privacy. However, apps go above and beyond and allow you to upon a closer look, it is clear that there are While many users use these apps to track their record all aspects of your life, from how much many valid and underrepresented concerns periods, it is clear that the main focus of many you slept to the last time you had sex. And with these apps, from their medical accuracy to of these apps is fertility. Apps such as Flo will there is a wide variety of apps to choose from, the developers behind them to data privacy. tell you how fertile you are at different points of with over one thousand available on the iOS your cycle, even if you are not using the app in App Store. Additionally, non-male students in The Issues the “fertility mode.” Glow often asks you to take our schools are not the only ones using these One persisting concern with period-tracking fertility and ovulation tests and reminds users apps; according to Bloomberg, over 100 million apps is who actually developed them. In many that they are in their fertile years and therefore women now use their phones to track their cases, male executives have been the leading shouldn’t drink alcohol because it lessens the periods. developers. For example, Glow, a period- chance of pregnancy. Many users are solely trying tracking app that made $23 million in 2013 Period-tracking apps have also become alone, was created by five men, including Max “Because many of increasingly popular among teenagers. They Levchin, the co-founder of PayPal. Additionally, are now the second-most popular health app despite being branded as healthcare these apps were not among teenage women. Many of these apps technology, In one report, the Columbia developed by healthcare market specifically to teenagers, with bright University Medical Center wrote that 95% of professionals, they do not colors and simple, user-friendly layouts. It’s free period-tracking apps do not “cite medical understandable why period-tracking apps literature or health professional involvement.” understand the intricacies have become so popular. They are on your It is clear that the innovators behind most of mentruation.” phone and give you a quick and easy way to period tracking apps were not health care 7 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020 their period, but there is still no way to turn off policies, the content of these policies is violation of privacy. Concerningly, many of the fertility functions. concerning. One charity, Privacy International, the apps are marketed to teenagers are uncovered evidence that many period-tracking violation of privacy and are becoming ingrained Despite being branded as period-tracking apps, apps, like Maya and MIA Fem, shared in the lives of young AFAB. While an increase the main purpose of many is fertility. Making sensitive user data with Facebook, which in menstrual resources is certainly a positive the apps main purpose actually fertility allows has had its own privacy issues in the past. change, concerns of privacy and accuracy for more advertising to be done, which makes Even more popular apps, like Clue, Flo, and outweigh any benefits. Overall, the many the apps more money. Many users who are not Eve, admit that they share user data with issues with period-tracking apps, from their using it solely to get pregnant not only cannot third parties, specifically advertising and lack of accuracy to privacy concerns, are an turn off fertility functions but don’t have good analytics companies like AppsFlyer. While example of how so-called “femtech” apps have enough tracking of their period because many these companies claim they only share basic little benefits for women when women are not symptoms of a menstrual cycle and birth control demographic data with third parties, their represented in the fields that develop them. are not taken into consideration, which limits the privacy policies never state that they will not accuracy of the way most people are trying to share data about your health in the future. The To avoid these issues, paper tracking and use the apps. sad reality is that consumers cannot trust most digital calendars are viable options. If users apps not to share their private health data with still want to continue using an app, one Perhaps the most troubling concern of period- third parties. alternative is Spot On. Spot On is an app tracking apps is privacy. In an age of rapid developed by Planned Parenthood, a legitimate technological advancement, data privacy is a Period-tracking apps have become very popular health organization, and it has an extensive major concern in nearly all fields. Health data because they are convenient and seem discrete. privacy policy. Unlike many apps, it provides is particularly sensitive for many people. While However, they are rarely medically accurate, are users the option to track their birth control most period-tracking apps outline privacy often developed by men, and are a massive rather than their fertility.

The Stigma Around Girls in Nutrition Natalie Keating ‘21 (SFS)

first became interested in nutrition during the summer following 9th grade. I had always wanted to become a vegetarian, but my mother worried that I wouldn’t be able to maintain a healthy diet with the Iabsence of meat as a protein. To cope with her insecurity around letting me go vegetarian, I began researching nutrition. I started reading books and listening to podcasts, trying to absorb as much knowledge as I could about how I could eat and sustain my health while cutting out meat. At first, it all seemed so clear: your diet should be a majority of vegetables, excess sugar can lead to cancer, and omega-3 can help your cognitive function. Yet I started to dig deeper into my research and found contradicting information: one book would explain how meat was crucial to one’s Photo: Alden Zhang ‘22 (SFS) diet, while the other would recommend eating entirely plant-based foods. I was stimulated something I should be following to achieve a passionate about the field of study and wanted by the opposing data and impassioned to find certain weight. to learn all I could. out more about the science around food and which information to trust. My friends began to notice that I was changing What I’ve come to realize now is that diet my diet and being cautious as to what I ate, culture is an epidemic in the country and However, as I began to change my diet to and they worried that I had fallen into an eating around the world, perpetuated by misleading reflect my research, I faced increased pressure disorder in which I was focused on limiting social media posts, constant false advertising, and questioning about diet culture and the consumption as a means of losing weight. and the objectification of women’s bodies. stigma surrounding it. Diet culture is the What started as an intellectual journey to learn However, women’s nutritional awareness to fixation on weight as the sole representation of about food as medicine for my body became a maintain health has also been stigmatized as one’s health, wellbeing, and moral value. While “problem” in the eyes of my peers. I stopped something automatically in accordance with a I was attempting to eat healthy to maintain talking about what I was learning about desire to change their physical appearances, a strong immune system and have energy nutrition and tried to convince everyone that as if women cannot simply be interested in throughout my day, magazines and influencers I was certainly not struggling with any eating nutrition because they find the science of it on Instagram were targeting diets as disorder. It was true. I wasn’t. I was simply stimulating. 8 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020 The Larger Fight: How Gxrls in STEM is Combating Gender Inequality Madeleine Popofsky ‘22 (GDS)

s a society, we tend to shy away from problems as massive as gender inequal- ity. Even today – with women holding positions of power in both the public andA private sector – policymakers’s proposals to address persistent obstacles women confront and improve how women are portrayed still gain little traction.

This leaves it to women and nonbinary people from all walks of life to stand up for ourselves and effect real change from the bottom up. As a magazine devoted to making gxrls in STEM heard and showcasing their accomplishments, we try to make gxrl’s voices heard, but it is hard to do this when the magazine is only distributed as of now in two high schools. We need to take more direct action as well — and what better way to effect change than by educating the next generation?

Sophomore Avani Ahuja, senior Tayae Rogers, sophomore Julie Steele, sophomore Lyra Gem- mill-Nexon, sophomore Phoebe Braun, sophomore Sophie Zinn, and I put together a workshop intend- ed to educate and capture the interests of middle schoolers about how women in STEM are por- trayed in the media. The presentation began with an explanation of the magazine, and then quickly dove into the shocking statistics about how women in STEM are portrayed and represented in the media; for example, for every 15 male characters shown in STEM fields in children’s media, there is only one woman portrayed in a STEM profession. ARTWORK: MADELEINE POPOFSKY ’22 (GDS) We explained how children’s media is so vital to a gxrl’s future, and encouraged the students to result. After being asked to critically evaluate reflect on the importance of having a role model. these ads, the students were able to recognize the problems and issues with their content. “As a society, we tend to We then showed the middle schoolers some exam- shy away from problems ples of gxrls in STEM as portrayed by the media. The first clip encouraged women to limit their The clips were not labeled as positive or negative science to interaction with household appli- as massive as gender portrayals since it is vital to have the students form ances while leaving “real” science to men. inequality.” their own opinions and learn to think critically about The second clip only showed white man after the messages surrounding them. The first clip white man as inventors while the only women was an ad for IBM Watson’s “Hack a Hair Dryer” represented were store employees. The third story of Emily Roebling, the unknown, unofficial campaign, which encouraged women to make sci- clip only served to sexualize women in science chief engineer of the Brooklyn Bridge. Then, we ence their own by using a hairdryer to do science with images of models striking poses in high split them into groups of four, gave them duct experiments. heels and makeup. tape and cardboard, and asked them to build a bridge that could carry as much weight as The second was the “Innovator’s Ad” created by Fortunately, the world isn’t all bad when it possible. Best Buy, which features several inventors de- comes to the representation of women in scribing their contributions to current technology science. After the negative clips, we showed We will not eradicate the problems of sexism and ends with Best Buy employees showing off the the students some positive examples, includ- and the gender gap in STEM by simply teaching products. The third was an ad called “Science, It’s ing how Shuri, the sister of the main character a bunch of middle schoolers about stereotypes a Girl Thing,” released by the European Commis- in the movie “Black Panther” is portrayed as and inequality. However, with each young sion in June 2012 in order to encourage women to intelligent and operates high-tech gadgets and gxrl who learns that they have the option to join science fields. medical equipment. become a scientist, engineer, mathematician, or whatever they want to be, that gap will shrink. While the creators of these ads may not have We next organized an engineering challenge to Maybe, one day, it will disappear entirely. intended to perpetuate gender stereotypes, the encourage interest and show that anyone can middle schoolers determined that that was the enter these fields. We told the students the Until then, we keep fighting. 9 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020 Vaccines: How are They Developed and Why Does It Take So Long? Sarah Murad ‘22 (SFS) ost people are aware of what vaccines are and how they work: they contain weakened parts of the disease itself, which can be used to train the Mimmune system to develop an immunity to the disease. This, in theory, seems relatively simple, and thus, a process that should not take a long time to finish. So, then, why can it take anywhere from six months to over a decade to develop a successful vaccine?

There are essentially six stages to the development of vaccines: the exploratory stage, the preclinical stage, the clinical development stage, the regulatory review and approval stage, the manufacturing stage, and the quality control stage.

The exploratory stage begins with the identification of the disease for which scientists want to create a vaccine. With laboratory research, scientists then look to find what an effective vaccine would contain - for example, virus-like particles, weakened ARTWORK: ELLA MAJD ’22 (SFS) viruses, bacteria, or bacterial toxins, and other substances. In cases like the annual Phase I, or initial human studies, are performed Finally, manufacturers, once they obtain influenza, this step includes the collection with a group of small and closely monitored approval from the FDA, begin to produce of international data on circulating influenza adult test subjects – even if the vaccine is the vaccine. Depending on the method, it strains by the World Health Organization targeted towards children – with the aim can take months to mass-produce vaccines (WHO). Using this data, the WHO can discern of determining safety and type of immune and make them available to the public. For which strains would be most relevant response elicited by the vaccine. The Phase example, the influenza vaccine is injected into to include in that year’s flu vaccination. I group may also undergo a challenge study. and incubated inside of hens’ eggs for several Moreover, during pandemics, this step would Phase II is conducted with a far larger collection days, allowing the vaccine virus to multiply. also encompass identifying and analyzing the of subjects, usually belonging to the group most The virus is harvested, purified, and killed to pandemic virus or bacteria. likely to contract the disease, and endeavors produce the antigen, or the active element to determine the dosage, as well as safety and in the vaccine, and the entire process takes The pre-clinical stage often involves animal method of delivery. Finally, Phase III involves about two weeks and is repeated until enough testing to indicate the expected efficacy, thousands of people and tests the vaccine vaccine is produced. The whole time, the FDA safety, and general immune response induced against a placebo. Phase III determines rare continues to oversee the production and effects by the vaccine. Scientists also gain an idea side effects and provides the necessary data of the vaccine. of what a safe dosage might be and what a and documentation for licensing the vaccine. secure method of administering the vaccine is. In short, the process of developing a vaccine During this stage, the vaccine is often changed Should the vaccine prove efficient, safe, and is a long one. Much of the procedure is spent and adapted to increase its effectiveness. effective, the next stage, regulatory review conducting tests with the vaccine, both on Sometimes scientists will attempt to infect and approval, starts, and the developer will humans and animals, to ensure safety and their test subject with the pathogen to examine send a Biologics Licensing Application (BLA) effectiveness of it. Additionally, should the the success of their vaccine, a practice called a to the FDA, which is followed by inspections, vaccine cause harmful side effects, or simply “challenge study.” testing, a risk/benefit assessment, and not prevent the pathogen with enough decisions about proper informative labeling efficiency, scientists have to start the process The next stage, the clinical development stage, for the product conducted by the FDA. Further over from the beginning to come up with a comprises three phases of testing, titled optional Phase IV trials may be conducted new, different method. Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III. However, after the distribution of the vaccine to continue before commencing this part of the procedure, monitoring its success. Furthermore, the vaccine and place of a sponsor for the vaccine will submit an manufacture have to undergo extensive Investigational New Drug (IND) application to “Sometimes scientists will government inspections and testing before the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). An they can even begin to produce the vaccine, IND will include a description of the vaccine, the attempt to infect their test and they have to continue to uphold those method of manufacture and testing, a summary subject with the pathogen standards throughout their distribution of of the lab reports, and the proposed study. Once the drug. The process of creating a vaccine is approved – the FDA can take up to 30 days to to examine the success of undoubtedly lengthy, but rewarding, in that approve an application – the three phases of their vaccine.” it guarantees a secure and effective path to testing start. immunization. 10 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020 CAR T-cell Therapy: A Hope for the Future Avani Ahuja ‘22 (GDS)

ARTWORK: AVANI AHUJA ‘22 (GDS)

ancer is the second leading cause CAR T-cell therapy is a form of Adoptive Cell The Process of death in the world, killing over Transfer (ACT), an immunotherapy approach CAR T-cell therapy relies on the power of T 20,000 people every day all over that uses a patient’s own immune cells to treat cells, immune cells that orchestrate the immune the world.The typical assortment of their cancer. After retrieving immune cells and response and kill cells that are infected by cancer treatments includes surgery, performing certain modifications, scientists insert pathogens. After first extracting T cells from a Cchemotherapy, and radiation therapy. While these immune cells back into a patient’s body, patient’s blood, scientists genetically engineer effective in many cases, these treatments are strengthening the immune system and enabling them to produce chimeric antigen receptors limited, especially for recurring cases of blood it to successfully attack and destroy tumors. One (CARs) on their surface. These artificial cancers such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia of the problems with cancer is that it escapes receptors, which consist of fragments of (ALL), the most common type of cancer in detection by the immune system. With CAR T-cell synthetic antibodies, allow T cells to recognize children. More than 80% of ALL cases are therapy, scientists are able to overcome this and attach to a specific protein, or antigen, that treated with intensive chemotherapy, but if the barrier by altering a patient’s immune cells so is expressed on the surface of tumor cells. cancer re-emerges after a stem cell transplant that they recognize and specifically target the The collected T cells are then amplified in the or chemotherapy, treatment options are nearly desired tumor. laboratory. nonexistent. The final step in CAR T-cell therapy is But now, just within the past few years, a new introducing the engineered CAR T cells into treatment for cancer has had unprecedented “One of the problems with the patient, which is preceded by a dose success in curing patients with ALL and other of chemotherapy. The body has protective blood cancers. With the potential to save cancer is that it escapes mechanisms against the entry of countless lives, it has grabbed the attention of detection by the immune foreign entities, so scientists have to weaken pharmaceutical companies all over the world. the immune system through chemotherapy system. With CAR T-cell (which has its own drawbacks) so that the body “A Living Drug” therapy, scientists are able will not reject the engineered T cells. In ideal Generally called immunotherapy, this new circumstances, the engineered cells would treatment has emerged as the “Fifth Pillar” of to overcome this barrier by replicate in the patient’s body and, with help cancer treatment. Immunotherapy treatments altering a patient’s immune from the CAR, detect and kill cancer cells that generally involve modifying the immune host the antigen on their surface. system to recognize and attack cancer cells. cells so that they recognize In particular, Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell and specifically target the Side Effects therapy (CAR T-cell therapy) has emerged at CAR T-cell therapy, like all cancer therapies, is the forefront of the field, presenting a new desired tumor.” accompanied by a variety of side effects. One of option for patients with recurring cases of ALL. the most common side effects is cytokine 11 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020

DIAGRAM: AVANI AHUJA ‘22 (GDS)

release syndrome (CRS). As part of an effective universally. Researchers are also exploring immune response, T cells release cytokines, ways to mitigate side effects such as CRS by chemical messengers that help direct the “CAR T-cell therapy relies on developing CAR T cells with molecular “off immune response. In the case of CRS, T cells are switches.” They are also exploring more precise overstimulated due to an imbalance of cytokines the power of T cells, immune methods of editing T cells, using gene-editing in the bloodstream, leading to dangerously cells that orchestrate the technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9. high fevers and steep drops in blood pressure, weakening and harming the patient. immune response and kill CAR T-cell therapy had largely been restricted to cells that are infected by small clinical trials, but in 2017, two CAR T-cell Fortunately, a research team noticed several therapies were approved by the FDA, providing years ago that patients experiencing severe pathogens.” a new chance at life for many terminally ill CRS all had particularly high levels of IL-6, a patients. cytokine that is secreted by T cells in response to inflammation. Using this information, they as lymphomas or leukemias, tumor antigens in turned to therapies that are approved to treat solid tumors likely reside inside the tumor cells inflammatory conditions such as juvenile rather than on the surface, which helps them “In 2017, two CAR T-cell arthritis, which blocks IL-6 activity. evade the detection of CARs. In addition, these tumors are surrounded by microenvironments therapies were approved Swelling in the brain, or cerebral edema, is designed to prevent an effective immune by the FDA, providing a another serious and potentially fatal side effect response. As a first step toward addressing of CAR T-cell therapy and has been seen in some this issue, scientists are creating a “super T new chance at life for many larger trials. However, the problem appears to cell” or an “armored” CAR T cell to overcome terminally ill patients.” be limited, with the leaders of other trials of CAR the immune-suppressing environment of many T-cell therapies reporting no such instances. advanced solid tumors. Other neurotoxicities, such as confusion or seizure-like activity, have been seen in most Future Directions CAR T-cell therapy trials, but the problem is The next direction for this therapy is to create CAR T-cell therapy is an example of the short-lived and reversible in nearly all patients. CAR T-cell therapies that use immune cells incredible progress that scientists can make collected from healthy donors, not just from within just a few years; if we could come this Limitations patients. Currently, therapies are customized for far in such a short amount of time, maybe a CAR T cells have had limited success in solid each patient, so the hope is that scientists can complete cure for cancer isn’t too far into our tumors so far. As opposed to liquid tumors such eventually create cheaper therapies that work future. 12 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020 Seeing Isn’t Always Believing: Synesthesia and Prosopagnosia Madeleine Popofsky ‘22 (GDS)

magine living in a world where each letter you see has a corresponding color. Or that each sound you hear has an associated texture. Or maybe the note F tastes like Imustard. You can’t explain it. This is reality for people with synesthesia. Now, imagine that when your friend gets a haircut, you can no longer recognize them. Or that you have trouble distinguishing your parents from a scarf. Or that you can’t identify yourself in the mirror. Welcome to prosopagnosia.

Synesthesia and prosopagnosia challenge our assumptions about the relationship between senses and reality. Are you sensing things around you that aren’t there? Are there things other people can sense that you can’t? We cannot definitively answer these questions. However, by talking with people who perceive The light purple color represents the hV4 region, while the dark pur- the world differently from us, and by making ple represents the grapheme-sensing region of the brain. The level strides within the field of neuroscience, we can learn more about the wonders and horrors of activation is shown by the red to white scale on the right. There is occurring in the minds of those around us. Or, an activation of the grapheme-area in both brains, but the hV4 region maybe even in ourselves. is activated only in the brain of the synesthete. Synesthesia Synesthesia is defined as a union between In addition, scientists modified the standard Failure to remove these synapses increases different senses. There are over 70 different Stroop paradigm, a test in which subjects connections between areas of the brain, types of synesthesia, reflecting virtually every are asked to name the color of a word that which is what synesthetes experience. combination of the senses. One of the more is describing a different color (for example, Supporting this hypothesis, data from common types is Grapheme-Color synesthesia, the word “red” presented in green ink) fMRI scans of the brain reveal activation which is when a person associates colors with for Grapheme-Color synesthetes. In this of the grapheme-processing area of the letters. Some less common types involve tasting “synesthetic Stroop,” synesthetes were brain for both synesthetes and a control words or touching sounds. presented with certain characters that were group, but the hV4 area is only activated sometimes presented in the “correct” color for synesthetes,suggesting a connection in People with synesthesia have consistent for that synesthete and sometimes not. The synesthetes between the two brain areas. associations throughout their lives. For a certain synesthetes were then asked to name the Graphemes are the smallest unit of a language, individual with Grapheme-Color synesthesia, color of the character. The study found that such as letters, while hV4 is an area of the for example, the letter “K” would always be reaction times for when the color matched the brain responsible for visual perception, dark blue. However, different synesthetes do synesthete’s internal association were much especially color. This connection between not necessarily have the same associations; higher than when they did not, showing that brain areas that process colors and letters can one person can see the letter “T” as purple synesthesia is automatic and not voluntary. explain the experiences of Grapheme-Color while another could see it as blue. Experiencing synesthetes. such correlations between senses leads to a Although synesthesia is undoubtedly real, its completely different perception of the world. cause is disputed and research is ongoing. Synesthesia has been linked to many other Most people with synesthesia are not aware of it, Lack of pruning, a process that occurs during abilities and conditions, including enhanced as it is normal to them. However, it is estimated adolescence and involves the removal of memory due to a heightened ability to associate that between two to four percent of the world’s synapses, the spaces that allow two neurons to different objects and sights, smells, or feelings population has synesthesia in some form. communicate, provides one origin theory. with each other. On the other hand, scientists are also exploring a connection between While people describing these symptoms used “Synesthesia and synesthesia and autism because 20% of people to be considered crazy, modern research has with autism have synesthesia, but the cause of proven that synesthesia is real. Experiments prosopagnosia challenge the link is still unknown. A strong correlation that asked Graphemes-Color synesthetes to our assumptions about also exists with the arts, with synesthesia being associate a color with a particular letter found linked with creativity. Many famous artists and that the colors were consistent over 90% of the the relationship between painters have or are suspected to have had time, meaning that an individual synesthete was senses and reality.” synesthesia of some sort, including Vincent Van consultant in the color they associated. Gogh and Lady Gaga. 13 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020

Prosopagnosia through passion, surprise, disgust, and fury to a Prosopagnosia is the impairment of the ability melting reconciliation.” He was not even able to to recognize faces. This condition can range identify the sex of the actors on screen, and his from a small difficulty in remembering features commentary on the show was completely devoid to an inability to tell apart a family member of human description. and everyday objects. This seems strange because we are primed by both childhood and There are many different areas of the brain that, evolution to recognize faces even when they when damaged or not functioning, could lead aren’t there – we see faces in objects from to prosopagnosia. There are four main areas of rock formations to pieces of toast to even the the brain responsible for processing faces: the headlights and grille of a car. Evolutionarily, fusiform face area (FFA), occipital face area (OFA), an ability to recognize faces has allowed the posterior portion of the superior temporal humans to be more social and to easily identify sulcus, and another system including the anterior potential allies and enemies. temporal face area. Humans primarily use the right sides of these areas when identifying faces. Prior to the 21st century, scientists believed that only people with severe head injuries Acquired prosopagnosia is normally caused could develop this condition. However, in by lesions in the brain, and despite having a “developmental” prosopagnosia, prosopagnosia perfectly functioning OFA or FFA, people could can occur without brain injury. Scientists still develop prosopagnosia due to a lesion in estimate that two percent of the population another area associated with facial recognition experiences prosopagnosia of some kind. While such as the anterior temporal face area. This people with this condition face impairment leads to the conclusion that prosopagnosia is not in recognizing faces, studies have shown no a single disorder but instead a family of different correlation between prosopagnosia and general disorders that lead to the same issue. impairment of memory or word recognition. Some more recent research points to an area corresponding to the FFA that is on the left side of One extreme early example of prosopagnosia is the brain instead of the right as the culprit. While described in Oliver Sacks’s book The Man Who the case described above is very severe, many Mistook His Wife for a Hat. As the title might people live their entire lives with this condition in suggest, this man’s case was so severe that he a milder form and never know it. attempted to grab his wife’s head, thinking it DIAGRAM: MADELEINE POPOFSKY ‘22 was his hat. The patient, Dr. P, was also asked The underlying causes of prosopagnosia are (GDS) to comment on a TV show and “what was unknown, although the condition can be inherited. [most] striking was that he failed to identify While there is no known cure, most people with the expressions on [the actress’s] face or her this condition can go about their daily lives and What is Reality? partner’s, though in the course of a single torrid use other markers, such as hair length or clothing Synesthesia and prosopagnosia both result scene these passed from sultry yearning items, to recognize people. in perceiving the world differently. Although these very distinct neurological conditions seem strange, they have more in common than you might think. They can enrich lives, such as provide people with synesthesia with an extraordinary creative ability or a beautiful way to look at the world or give people with prosopagnosia increased confidence in crowds and with strangers. However, both of these conditions can also result in difficulties, from bullying and ostracizing to low self-esteem and even offending family and friends.

What these people perceive is all they have ever known, yet we do not consider it to be real. Still, those of us without these conditions are not perceiving the same world either. Colors aren’t definite or real. Neither are sounds, smells, or anything else we perceive. Two people can see an apple as red and yet be seeing different colors. A dog would see that same apple as a yellowish-grey. A mantis shrimp, which has 12 color receptors, would see it as an entirely different color. Everything we think is real is just a creation of our minds.

Examples of lesions that lead to prosopagnosia. The approximate So, what is reality? lesions are outlined in red. Only you can decide. 14 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020

Dr. Maya Das holds an M.S. in Epidemiology from the University of Maryland Baltimore, a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School, and an M.D. from the University of Wisconsin- Madison School of Medicine and Public Health. She currently works in clinical development at Heliconia, LLC, as well as serving on the faculty of the University of Maryland Medical School. 15 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020 Interview with Epidemiologist Dr. Maya Das Celia Johnson ‘22 (GDS)

Johnson: Can you tell me a little bit about what capabilities to identify patients with the virus it makes it difficult to know exactly what you do? and making sure patients who suspect they you should do. But I do think it’s a prudent Dr. Das: Right now I’m a consultant for drug have the virus actually get tested. It’s also approach. There is definitely a risk of device and digital health companies. I do clinical important to not be too strict with your case opening up too soon, especially when you development consulting, so I help them get definition. You know, part of epidemiology is take people who have been indoors for so drugs through the FDA process and onto the defining who should be included and I think long and let them go outside. There’s that market. I primarily work with small and midsize initially, in the US, we were too narrow in fear that comes that you’re actually going companies. Right now I’m not actually functioning defining who our cases actually were. to see some major spikes if you don’t open as an epidemiologist, but I have a master’s in up with a more gradual, thought-through epidemiology. Being that this is a virus that we’ve never process. encountered before it’s not like there’s going J: What drew you to epidemiology? to be a vaccine or medication or a treatment J: Why do you think people are protesting D: For me, it’s the idea of being able to help that’s ready to go. Some of the basics you against these social distancing measures? populations as opposed to individual patients. do need to do, such as having protective D: I think that’s where politics meets I love numbers and I think it was a good mix equipment that’s available such as masks policy. There are political reasons why of being able to look at numbers from a larger and gloves. The capacity issue, in terms of that’s happening, which are not related to perspective (and I have a background in law) ventilators and hospital beds, is something that the actual pandemic itself, but apart from so one of the good things about being on the I think we talk about a lot, but it’s one thing to that I think it also comes from the fact that epidemiology side is the tie-in with the public talk and another to put it into practice. we’ve been in this situation for six, seven policy and the regulatory side as well and being weeks now and people are looking to get able to use numbers to inform your decision J: What is most concerning about the spread of back to work. They’re looking to get back making in terms of how to approach a regulatory COVID-19? to as it was before. and public policy issue. D: I think what’s most concerning is the fact that it can spread in patients that either have Unfortunately, unless there is a vaccine J: Did the epidemiological community have a a very mild form or are asymptomatic. I think or a treatment that works quite well for sense that a pandemic like COVID-19 was on the that it makes it extremely difficult to control. patients that do end up with more severe horizon? When people feel healthy it’s very difficult to cases of COVID-19, I don’t think that we’re D: I think there has been a sense. Over the course keep them inside and indoors and away from going back to normal. We’re going back of the past oh-so-many years there have been people. Humans by nature are social, so it’s to a situation where we have to maintain multiple potential pandemic-like viruses or other difficult for us to have to be sitting inside with social distancing to some extent. If we do agents that develop, like SARS. We talked a lot just our immediate family. That’s one of the start opening up, you’re still going to see about this in 2009 during the swine flu. Even with biggest challenges with COVID-19. At least with uses of masks and gloves and things like Ebola or Zika more recently, we’ve definitely been SARS it appears that you were only infectious that. Until we get to a vaccine, we’re not through that process of preparing for something when you were symptomatic, but in this case going to get to a point where things are that could be like [our current situation], at least that’s not true. normal. in the epidemiological community. Although because this is an area where science and J: What has the epidemiological community J: What are the most effective ways to public policy intersect, there are definitely been working on? prevent virus spread? different approaches and separations within the D: At least from my perspective, I think right D: It goes back to the simple rules: community itself. now they’re really just trying to understand wash your hands for 20 seconds, keep your what needs to happen before you can start hands away from your face, keep J: What could the United States and the world at opening things up safely. That’s really your distance from other people, cough large have done to be better prepared? a big key, trying to figure that piece of it into your elbow, stay home when you’re D: I think that’s a loaded question because out. You’re seeing different states and the sick. It’s the standard practices that we all obviously hindsight is 20/20. However, one of the federal government coming up with different have. first things when you’re doing an epidemiology paradigms in terms of how that might happen. investigation is identification of cases. I think it’s For example, in Maryland you’ve heard Additionally, I think that as we start important to identify what the hazard actually [Governor] Hogan talk about how he wants opening things up, you’re going to start is, how much exposure is required for infection, to see fourteen days of continuous decline in seeing the idea of people wearing masks and then characterise that risk. And then hospitalizations. And that’s his sign that things permeating into other situations, like work. communicating that widely and in an appropriate can start opening up more. You’re also seeing There have been some discussions even fashion so that folks can prepare for it. different states take different approaches. in airports, where flight attendants have come out saying that they wanted people I think, again hindsight 20/20, that there are J: Do you think the number of hospitalizations to have access to masks and gloves. Not definitely things that could have been done on is a prudent standard for establishing a just necessarily cloth masks, but also the identification side. I think when this was timeframe to reopen the country? masks that have actual filter protection, identified, we probably should have been a bit D: I think it’s one of those things where we whether that be surgical masks or N-95 better at making sure we had the diagnostic haven’t been in this situation before, so masks. Cloth masks are good at helping 16 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020

you not pass it to another person, but they’re not J: What do you predict will be the permanent to your roommate that you’ve never even as good as filtering the things that come from social effects, if any, on the population? thought about before. other people. D: I think that’s really hard to know. I wish I had a crystal ball and could tell you, but I do J: Everything right now seems uncertain, J: We have seen three coronavirus outbreaks think that, as anything that is transformative as but what is one thing that we should be in the 21st century: SARS, MERS, and now a society, the effects of it will linger. In terms hopeful about? COVID-19. Is there reason to believe that it is of how we interact, it’s probably going to take D: For those of us who have been fortunate only a matter of time before we see another a while before people are comfortable going to stay healthy through all of this, I think one? to the movie theater, for example. There’s there’s a lot of things to be hopeful about. D: Coronaviruses are with us all the time. What absolutely going to be changes in the way we go This is a temporary time, and while I hate we call the common cold is a coronavirus. It is to restaurants, bars, places where you’re packed to say that this is something that we’re all always possible that another virus, coronavirus in. Even after all this clears, people are going to going through together, because I think or not, might cause another pandemic type- be nervous in those kinds of situations. different people are feeling it at different situation. Going forward, hopefully we’ve learned levels of intensity, I do think that when we the things we need to do from a public health I also think people are going to rethink their make it through to the end of it, we’ll have and a public policy perspective to make sure roommate situations, because obviously your learned something from it and when a that when we suspect that there’s a potential roommate might not be someone you’re best similar situation presents itself we’ll have [pandemic] we can react early. There’s no friends with. Their approach to this might be that knowledge and experience. going back, we can only go forward. If you can’t different than yours, and how do you deal control it early on, you’re stuck in mitigation and with that? So maybe these are the kinds of J: Thank you so much for speaking with me. mitigation isn’t as good as containment. discussions that you’ll have when you talk D: You’re welcome. Good luck! Crossing Norway for a Cure anaphylaxis. That, together with the drug’s Aliza Lubitz ‘21 (GDS) average cost of 192,000 dollars per patient, has limited the number of patients with access to the drug and derailed analysts’ hopes for a rousing introduction of the drug to the PKU community.

Both Reynolds and Piziali have voiced their desires for a decrease in drug costs, an oral form of the drug, and further recognition and awareness of this rare, mostly-unknown condition. After training for more than a year, Reynolds skied 125 miles, pulling an 80 pound sled, sleeping in tents at night, and at constant risk of contracting frostbite and hypothermia to help make these hopes a reality. She also stopped in Steinkjer, Norway the hometown of Norweigan physician and biochemist Ivar Asbjørn Følling, who first discovered and named the disease in 1934. PHOTOS: TIA PIZIALI ‘21 (GDS) Reynolds and Piziali have been invited to raise a phe-free amino acid formula four times a day further public awareness on the disorder on n February 21st, 2020, Alison to meet individual protein needs. If the disease multiple national talk shows and television Reynolds left her Northwest is unmanaged, irreversible brain damage can programs, including NBC’s Today Show. These Washington, DC home to ski across ensue. opportunities have aided Reynolds in raising the backcountry of Norway in an astounding one million dollars for research Ohopes of raising money to fund research on This past fall, Piziali began using the novel on the disease; this amount is more than twice phenylketonuria (PKU). Her daughter Tia enzyme therapy Palzyniq, a phenylalanine- her original goal and she’s not going to stop Piziali, a junior at GDS, has been afflicted with metabolizing enzyme, to help treat her PKU. fundraising now. the disorder since birth. She injected the drug daily into her stomach and for the first time was able to try foods like Fundraising is an important way to catalyze PKU, a rare inherited disorder, is caused by a shrimp, beans, and bacon (her favorite). the development of new drugs to treat specific defect in the gene that helps create phenylalanine disorders, but it is not the only way. Now hydroxylase, an enzyme needed to convert the BioMarin Pharmaceutical, the maker of more than ever, in the midst of the COVID-19 essential amino acid phenylalanine (phe) to the drug, received the Food and Drug pandemic, it is necessary to take inspiration tyrosine. Those afflicted with the disease have Administration’s (FDA) long sought approval from Reynolds and contribute to the halting increased levels of the amino acid in the blood. To for the distribution of the drug in 2018. of the spread of the coronavirus. We can help manage the condition, individuals must follow an However, the FDA required the drug to be actualize this objective by social distancing and extremely restrictive diet, limiting consumption of dispensed with a black box warning label, as staying at home. Our contribution in this manner phenylalanine (which is found in all proteins and about 9% of patients treated with the drug can provide hope for infected individuals and some artificial sweeteners) and consuming during initial clinical trials suffered their families, and potentially save lives. 17 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020 Spooky Action Over Long Distances: A New Breakthrough in Quantum Computing Lyra Gemmill-Nexon ‘22 (GDS)

DIAGRAM: MADELEINE POPOFSKY ‘22 (GDS)

he quantum world is markedly different succeeded in entangling quantum memory entangled with photons. These photons could from the macro, observable world across an astounding 50 kilometers. While then travel between nodes and be measured that we experience every day, which certainly not yet enough to facilitate a with as little interference as possible. This is is to say that it doesn’t really make quantum world wide web, the study, published important, because if the entangled system is Tsense. In quantum mechanics, observation in Nature, is an important step towards disturbed, the information will be lost. can change the very nature of systems, and functional quantum networks. particles behave in ways that violate Einstein’s But why does this all matter? Quantum laws of relativity. This is called entanglement, Perhaps most importantly, the research team computing would theoretically allow for a relationship between two particles that touts a relatively new method to improve the much more powerful computers, as instead would seem to defy the classic laws of physics. reliability of larger-scale entanglement across of running on a system of bits (binary digits Einstein himself decried it as “spooky action at great distances. Instead of simply attempting one and zero), they use qubits. Qubits can be a distance,” testimony to its strange, counter- to entangle photons over further and further measured not just as on or off, but by their intuitive nature. distances, they utilized a system wherein quantum state and superposition. This would cooled rubidium atoms acting as nodes were give quantum computers an edge in tasks Breakthroughs in quantum entanglement such as decryption, conducting searches, and usually pertain to increasing the distance over solving equations—areas where having more which individual particles (usually photons) “Just last month, variables to work with would make them are entangled. However impressive these researchers at the both faster and more efficient than classical experiments are, for quantum computing or computers. a quantum internet (a network of quantum University of Science computers integrated over great distances, and Technology of China The future of quantum computing remains similar to the classical internet) to succeed, (USTC) succeeded in in question, as it has for decades, and as a key component remains missing: the ability it probably will for some time to come. It to store quantum information. This requires entangling quantum remains to be seen if widespread quantum the entanglement of “quantum memory,” memory across computers or a quantum internet are even the quantum equivalent of classic computer possible, but experiments like that of the memory. an astounding 50 UTSC researchers are constantly improving kilometers.” quantum technology and bringing us ever Just last month, researchers at the University closer to a reality where that is the case. 18 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020 WXMEN IN STEM Maya Landweber ’22 (GDS) 19 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020 Treatment Options for COVID-19: Does an Effective Drug Already Exist? Nora O’Connor’22 (GDS)

Remdesivir has the capability to destroy COVID-19

or the past few months, COVID-19 An in vitro study showed that both Chloroquine was used in multiple clinical (more commonly referred to as chloroquine and remedesivir were trials, and while some showed positive coronavirus), has dominated all effective in decreasing the viral load of results, there also appeared to be side news sources and affected countless COVID-19. Cells were infected with the effects. Irregular heart rhythms were lives. The disease, which originated novel coronavirus and then treated with observed in some patients in Brazil and Fin Wuhan China in December of 2019, and varying doses of different drugs with this has discouraged many doctors from rapidly spread to many other countries, antiviral properties. Then both the viral using chloroquine as a treatment for including the US, has no vaccine. The race to yield and the cytotoxicity (the measure COVID-19. create one is on and scientists are progressing of how toxic the drugs were to the cell) at a rapid pace. However, what if effective were measured. Both remedesivir and Although a vaccine may appear to be the treatments for COVID-19 already exist? chloroquine showed a relatively low level only option to many Americans, alternative of cytotoxicity and also inhibited the virus. treatment methods should be explored. Antivirals are a type of drug used for Antiviral therapies could be used in treating viral infections. They work through tandem with a vaccine or be used as an many different methods. Some are only initial preventive treatment until a vaccine is useful against one specific virus and some developed. In dealing with this virus, can be used more universally. Most antivirals “Some studies have we should use all the resources available do not completely eradicate a virus but suggested that antivirals in order to lessen the negative impacts instead inhibit it, reducing symptoms and already in existence could it will have upon our society. Antiviral infectivity. treatments can be used to treat people be an effective prevention already infected with the virus, and possibly Some studies have suggested that or treatment method for even be taken as a preventive measure antivirals already in existence could be an by people at high risk of infection, like effective prevention or treatment method for COVID-19.” doctors and nurses or families with COVID-19. members who are infected. 20 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020 Henrietta Lacks and the Ethics of MedicalThe Lesson Breakthroughs of the Montreal Protocol Celia Johnson ‘22 (GDS)

hen Henrietta Lacks died on October 4, 1951, she could not have conceived what her legacy would become. Lacks, only 31, Wwas battling an aggressive form of cervical cancer. Johns Hopkins Hospital, the only hospital in the area that saw African-American patients, treated her. Her doctor, George Gey, harvested both a healthy and a cancerous sample of tissue from her cervix. When he studied her cells, what he saw amazed him; while other cell lines had died off quickly, only reproducing a few times before dying off, Lacks’s cells replicated at an incredible rate.

Today, we understand that her cells had two important mutations created by the human papillomavirus (HPV). The first mutation caused the accelerated division rate observed by Gey and the second created an enzyme called telomerase. Telomeres are structures at the end of chromosomes that prevent chromosomes from fraying. Normally, the total loss of telomeres through many cycles of cell division causes cells to stop dividing after a CONFOCAL IMAGES OF HELA CELLS, PHOTOS: HENRY OHMAN certain amount of time. However, when Lacks’s cells divide, telomerase activates, rebuilding free, the demand surrounding them became the surprising legacy of their relative. the telomeres and ensuring that her cells can so great that scientists began charging for her theoretically divide forever. cells. Her cells were the first commercialized Since then, the medical industry has taken biological material, launching a multi-billion steps toward giving the Lacks family more As the world’s first immortal cell culture, dollar industry. Even today, one can buy a vial say in decisions made surrounding the Henrietta Lacks’s cell line (known as HeLa), of HeLa cells online for $250. If Lacks’s identity cell line, such as the 2013 decision by the revolutionized the study of diseases. Her cells were discovered, it would collapse the industry National Institutes of Health to allow two have been used to develop treatments for and raise ethical questions about years of members of the Lacks family to review diseases such as herpes, leukemia, and polio, scientific developments as well as ending applications for the use of HeLa cells. as well as for studying cloning and in vitro future research opportunities. However, research has continued on HeLa fertilization. Scientists estimate that if every cells without the consent of Lacks’s family HeLa cell ever grown was put end-to-end, due to the widespread proliferation of her they would wrap around the Earth at least “The desire to conceal cell line. For example, in 2013, scientists three times (which is especially impressive sequenced the genome of a HeLa cell and considering the average skin cell is only 30 her identity stemmed not published their results on the internet, micrometers long). only from Lacks’s lack of exposing Lacks’s DNA to the public without the permission of her family. However, while HeLa cells had extraordinary consent but also from the consequences for the healthcare industry, monetization of HeLA cells.” Ultimately, the story of Henrietta Lacks is there is also another, hidden side to this story. one that explores issues of medical consent Henrietta Lacks did not consent to having her and privacy. Rebecca Skloot, the author of cells mass-reproduced. Medical consent was In the mid-1970s, scientists discovered the award-winning book The Immortal Life not an established practice in the 1950s., and that HeLa cells could travel on air particles of Henrietta Lacks, argues that rather than no one informed Lacks’s family of the existence and had contaminated many other cell a story with one good side and one bad one, of HeLa cells until more than 20 years after her cultures. In an attempt to figure out which Lacks’s story is a nuanced one that shows death. This failure to communicate was not a cells belonged to the HeLa line, scientists that “sometimes[,] even with the best of simple oversight. In the 1970s, when the press contacted the family to get a similar genetic intentions[,] things go wrong.” On one hand, came close to finding out her identity, Gey told sample. When Lacks’s family found out Lacks’s cells have saved millions of lives. them that her name was Helen Lane in an why they were being contacted, they were On the other, Lacks and many other patients attempt to throw the press off her trail. understandably upset. There was a whole at that time never consented to being industry surrounding their relative and they experimented with. Today’s scientists should This desire to conceal her identity stemmed had received no notice or compensation. remember that although it can be easy in not only from Lacks’s lack of consent but also Some of her family members launched a science to reduce humans down to their from the monetization of HeLa cells. While Gey campaign to receive part of the profits, while component parts, it is important to see the initially gave HeLa cells to his colleagues for others simply wanted to learn more about human behind every biological sample. 21 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020 Expected Economic Impact of the Coronavirus Emma Dower ‘22 (SFS)

ovid-19, more commonly known as The disease poses a larger threat to the older In addition, the American people spend 19 the Coronavirus, has impacted the generations, which particularly influences billion dollars each year on gym activity, which world tremendously over the last mature economies. As a result, economy will decrease with quarantine and fear of the few months. It affected animals analysts expect a global economic recession. virus. People will stop going to the doctor or at first, but it has now become a dentist unless absolutely necessary. Cpandemic, putting countries around the world The fear surrounding Covid-19 will also impact into a state of crisis. However, the virus poses the economy. Goolsbee from The New York Gad Levanon, the vice president at The a threat not only to public health but also to Times explains that “when people pull back Conference Board where he heads the Labor the state of the economy. from interacting with others because of their Markets Institute, predicts two possible fear of disease, the things they stop doing will economic outcomes. First, the disease fades On Wednesday, March 11, the DOW dropped frequently affect much bigger industries in the away after April. The “luxury” spending 1,464.94 points, which put it into bear territory. United States.” People will stop going places, markets will slow down and take a hit, which Bear territotry means that it dropped by 20% lowering luxury spending habits on which the will affect roughly 7% of the US GDP if there or more, becoming the biggest economic US economy relies on heavily. An average of 11 is a 10% drop over a 3 month period (a fallout since 2009. The S&P was just short of million United States residents per year conservative estimate). This will affect the bear territory, dropping 500 points and 19.2% total GDP by .7%, which is significant because from February 19th. As of March 12, the DOW it normally grows only .5% per quarter. was at 21,200.53 points, and the last time it fell “At present, the high-risk However, by early summer, the economy will this low was June of 2017. This low point result companies are those which bounce back and may even go into a rebound. stems from investors not wanting to put their money into an uncertain economy. either depend on large The second possibility is less optimistic, congregations of people, reflecting what may happen if the disease At present, the high-risk companies are those continues after April. The economy could enter which either depend on large congregations or ones reliant on Chinese a full recession but will be dependent on the of people, or ones reliant on Chinese and and Italian factories and health officials and policymakers’ reactions. Italian factories and production facilities. Businesses are expected to begin to lay off Car companies, Apple, and general medicine production facilities.” employees, but government subsidies will are examples of businesses all experiencing be hard to come by because the interest rate decreasing amounts of products to sell. This go on cruises, a number which will decrease will be close to 0%. This affects the federal disturbance in revenue stability worries enormously due to the close proximity and reserve’s ability to make tax payroll cuts. investors and causes the stock market to fall. subsequent risk inherent with such a venture. While the near future does not look promising, these are all suspicions. The many uncertainties of the nature of the virus make it hard to predict what is to come. Be cautious, but not extreme, as drastic measures taken by investors is what led the DOW to plummet. The Coronavirus has led to a precarious economic state in the short term. While the long term implications remain to be seen, the underlying fundamental elements of the economy remain strong, giving reason to be optimistic.

“The Coronavirus has led to a precarious economic state in the short term. While the long term inmplications remain to be seen, the underlying fundamental elements of the economy remain strong, giving reason to be optimistic.” 22 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020 The Ethics of Somatic and Germline Gene Editing Lucie Johnson ‘23 (GDS)

magine being able to select the intelligence, athletic ability, musical talent and more for your future child. Although this may seem dystopian, this future is not so far-fetched and it is all Imade possible by gene editing. Gene editing, also known as genome editing, involves adding, removing, or altering segments of DNA. Scientists use gene editing to study the mechanisms of different diseases by modifying the DNA of animals, such as mice or zebrafish This technique has enabled scientists to treat diseases like cystic fibrosis or diabetes in humans.

There are multiple technologies used for gene editing, one of the most recent and promising being CRISPR-Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR associated protein 9). In addition to DIAGRAM: AVANI AHUJA ‘22 (GDS) being both more precise and efficient than other technologies, CRISPR-Cas9 is also in genomic DNA and a mutated or inactive ethical issues arise concerning consent cheaper to use. translated protein. The second method is the and the distinction between therapy and genetic one used by scientists to edit genomes. To enhancement. Because the risks of germline The Mechanism repair the cuts, the cell fills the gap with a therapy are relatively unknown, many scientists This form of gene editing was adapted from sequence of nucleotides copied from a short and researchers are worried about parents a gene editing system that naturally occurs DNA template strand. In order to correct giving truly informed consent. In addition, it is in bacteria. Bacteria obtain small sections of mutations or edit genes, scientists and impossible to get informed consent from the DNA from invading viruses and use them to researchers simply supply the DNA template embryo and future generations. As a result, make segments of DNA called CRISPR arrays. strand. many argue that gene editing in human embryos These arrays allow the bacteria to recognize is too dangerous and “ethically unacceptable,” a virus and repel future attacks. Using its In humans, gene editing can either be somatic and multiple countries have banned germline CRISPR arrays, the bacteria is able to produce and germline. Somatic gene editing refers to gene editing. segments of RNA called CRISPR RNA (crRNA). modifications in human somatic cells, which The crRNA segments along with tracrRNA are all body cells other than reproductive At the moment, germline gene editing is being (trans-activating crRNA) bind to the enzyme cells (gametes) or cells that produce the proposed as a therapy to cure genetic diseases Cas9 and guide it to the area of DNA that is gametes. When somatic cells are edited, before children are born. However, as Marcy complementary to the crRNA. At that location the modifications made are not inheritable. Dornovsky, the executive director of the Center on the DNA, the Cas9 will cut both strands of Germline gene editing refers to modifications for Genetics and Society in Berkeley, California, the double helix. in gametes, the cells that lead to them, or said, “How do you draw a clear, meaningful line embryos. The editing done in gametes will be between therapy and enhancement?” From The CRISPR-Cas9 technology works in a inherited by future generations. therapeutic genetic modifications, it’s a slippery similar way in the lab, but without the invading slope to non-therapeutic enhancement and virus and CRISPR arrays. Scientists produce “designer babies.” This practice would also a small segment of RNA called guide-RNA “The editing done in deepen inequalities, creating a gap between (sgRNA) that binds to a target sequence gametes will be inherited those who could afford it and those who of DNA. The segment of RNA also binds to couldn’t. Embryos being modified merely for the Cas9 enzyme, which makes the double by future generations.” the purpose of enhancement could potentially stranded cuts in the target genomic DNA create social classes based on gene editing. sequence. The cellular repair machinery then Both somatic and germline gene editing tries to repair the segments of DNA. have raised concerns. The only issue with Although there are many arguments against somatic gene editing is the possibility of germline gene editing, some also argue that There are two methods the cells may use to unintended consequences, as the technology it is unethical not to research the possibilities repair the DNA. One involves “gluing” the cut is relatively new. Because somatic cell gene that it offers. According to bioethicist Julian DNA back together, a method called “non- editing is confined to a specific area and is not Savulescu, “To intentionally refrain from homologous end joining” (NHEJ). However, inheritable, the risks are fewer than those of engaging in life-saving research is to be this method often causes errors such as gene editing in gametes or embryos. morally responsible for the foreseeable, the accidental insertions or deletions of avoidable deaths of those who could have been nucleotides.This results in a frame-shift error However, with germline gene editing, many benefited.” 23 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020 Bioprinting Grace Zhao ‘22 (SFS)

hen we imagine robots, we always imagine a cyborg, made up of all metal with glowing eyes, but what if tomorrow’s Wrobots didn’t look any different from us? Someday, a human being may step out of a 3D printer. More than just a wax figure, more than just identical in looks – it would be completely functional: moving, thinking and growing, with muscles and organs like ours If the idea scares you, there is no need to worry, and you’ll be happy to hear that this concept is still far from reality. Experts have not yet achieved anything close to an entire living, breathing person. But if the idea sounds cool, bioprinting might interest you. Scientists and physicians have already begun to construct muscles and tissues from human cells. Still working on parts of the whole, they are making steady progress, fine-tuning the smaller and simpler pieces.

In the biological world, 3D printing was limited to “static non-living constructs” before the study of bioprinting began. Upon the discovery that cells were capable of being extruded like ink, biologists realized that they could engineer living matter just like its inanimate counterparts. Since then, scientists have developed a formula for bioink.

Cells (usually stem cells) are mixed in a nutrient gel, which contains growth factors to simulate cell divisions as well as polymers, which help the cells form the shapes required. Ejected layer by layer onto a mold, the organ is carefully constructed. The mold consists of biodegradable plastic, which deteriorates when ARTWORK: ELLA MAJD ‘22 (SFS) the organ is finished and ready for use. Today, When it does become publicly available, bioprinting unique approach for this task: to first scan the scientists at the Wake Forest Institute for can be employed in a variety of ways. One major wound, then, using a person’s own skin cells Regenerative Medicine have already printed implementation would be in organ transplants. as a spray, applying directly onto the patient. and utilized a variety of different organs, Currently, the need for organs profoundly exceeds Similarly to transplanting bioprinted organs, including “skin, urethras, cartilage, bladders, the number of donors, which are the only source. here, using the patient’s cells, the rate of muscles, kidney, and vaginal organs.” rejection will also be reduced. However, as skin Imagine if those waiting for transplants could have is surprisingly complicated, scientists have not Still, there is a long way to go before these organs custom-made. Using the stem yet mastered this technique. manufactured organs are offered for common cells of the patients, a new organ could be printed, medical practice. As with all new products, no longer requiring a donor and increasing Bioprinting can also positively impact those availability. Not to mention that these organs would with sensory disabilities. New possibilities “Upon the discovery that already be a “match” for the person it was printed lie ahead in artificial ears, composed of for, therefore reducing the chance of rejection, and metal receptors embedded in skin cells, cells were capable of being possibly saving a life. and photoreceptor eyes, which scientists extruded like ink, biologists are currently experimenting with. That also Another possible application of bioprinting raises questions: what are the limits? Are realized that they could would be for those in need of skin grafts. Skin supersensory capabilities in our future? engineer living matter grafts are procedures in which surgeons transfer skin from one area of the body to another. Furthermore, pharmaceutical companies too just like its inanimate have invested in bioprinting technologies. They counterparts.” The German company BASF has developed a are hoping to practice drug tests on human 24 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020 tissues, replacing the rats and other lab companies like Organovo, which specialize in more complicated organs have just begun animals in use today. Not only would this satisfy tissues, have already begun using kidney and trials. For example, bioengineers have created a animal rights activists, but it would also improve liver tissues for drug testing. Bioprinting opens silicon heart with limited functionality. Most of us accuracy in testing medications for humans. With new doors in several fields. take our hearts for granted, and never realize what so many applications, bioprinting is a valuable it has to endure: “physiological stresses[...]physical resource that is being explored by many. Though we’re still working on small pieces forces such as shear stress and pressure as well (organs with up to two cell types and simple as biological stressors including presence of toxins, Major manufacturing companies, like L’Oréal structure), scientists believe that our printed enzymes and non-physiological pH” must all be and Procter & Gamble, are working alongside future could become reality. Martin Birchall of the taken into account. Research must be developed, physicians and scientists to contribute to University College London, called it “the goose prices lowered, the process must be made quicker advances in the bioprinting field. And research that really does lay golden eggs.” Also, and easier before bioprinting will reach you.

parents for teen stress is social media. However, according to Diana Divecha, a writer Teen Stress for Developmental Science, a Canadian study of nearly 1,700 teenagers over the course of six years showed that social media did not Brooke Bao ‘22 (SFS) lead to depression in girls or boys. In fact, social media served as an effect of depression rather than its cause, as the study proved that depression in middle school is linked with increased future use of social media (in girls only.

In a survey taken by nearly 36,000 teens across the country, the primary cause for teen stress was relationships (27.22%), followed by teachers (24.55%), parents (13.46%), college (9.47%), and friends (4.21%). Morover, Divecha found that teens are more stressed than adults about the current state of our nation in issues such as rising suicide rates, climate change, immigration issues, and sexual harassment. For instance, three out of every four teens surveyed by the APA reported that they were stressed about gun violence.

Although more than half of teens reported that stress had very little to no impact on their physical and mental health, stress in teens has been directly linked to a decline in physical and mental health: teens may lose sleep, skip meals, or eat more to deal with stress. And from personal experience, the effects of stress have been normalized by our generation.

How many times have you complained to your friends about how little sleep you got the previous night or how stressed you are for an upcoming test? In spite of these issues, more than half of teens reported that stress had very ARTWORK: VIRGINIA HEINSEN ‘20 (GDS) little to no impact on their physical and mental health, and according to the APA’s Stress in eens today face many pressures of American Psychological Association (APA) America survey, 42% of teens said that they a changing society, pressures which found that since 2013, teens report stress were not learning to cope with stress and did their parents did not experience or felt levels even higher than those of adults not know if they were doing so correctly. less strongly in their time. Although during the school year. Moreover, in the APA’s Tthe teenage years are famous for bringing 2018 survey, only 45% of Gen Z respondents Though there has been an increase in academic pressure and social pressure, among reported “excellent or very good mental education and focus on mental health in recent others, the reported stress levels of today’s health,” the lowest percentage of any age times, teens still have trouble identifying the teens are far higher than those of previous group. These results are disheartening, yet effects of stress as well as coping with and generations. the first step to helping alleviate stress in managing them. In an era of rising pressure teenagers is to understand the underlying and the normalization of stress, educators The journal Psychology Today reports that, “the problem. What is causing teen stress? and parents need to raise awareness about average high school kid today has the same our divergence from the expected levels of level of anxiety as the average psychiatric It is important to begin by debunking the myths. stress to begin helping teens alleviate their patient in the early 1950’s,” and a poll by the The most popular scapegoat of the media and symptoms. 25 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020 CROSSWORD 26 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020 SCIENCE MEMES 27 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020 CROSSWORD SOLUTION! COVID-19 RESOURCES 1. All In Challenge

Website: https://www.fanatics.com/all-in-challenge/x-12589906+z-9713580-3838082054 Webpage description: “Fanatics is ALL IN to help eliminate food insecurity during these challenging times. More than ever before, families will struggle to provide food as tens of millions are out of work, kids are out of school, many are at risk of losing their income, and our most vulnerable are self-isolating. 100% of proceeds are going to these great charities: Meals on Wheels, No Kid Hungry, America’s food fund, Feeding America, World Central Kitchen”

2. CDC Foundation

Website: https://give.cdcfoundation.org/give/269833/#!/donation/checkout Webpage description: “The CDC Foundation’s Emergency Response Fund enables CDC to strengthen critical global health security needs and respond immediately to public health emergencies such as the current novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Your gift allows CDC to better prepare for and respond to crisis situations by providing flexibility to meet both immediate and planned needs that would not otherwise be readily available.” 3. Americares

Website: https://www.americares.org/emergency-program/coronavirus-global-health-emergency/ Webpage description: “Americares is using every resource to fight the COVID-19 pandemic from critical supplies to education, training and other support for our staff and partners here at home and around the world. We are focused on frontline health workers, keeping them safe so they can continue to do life-saving work on behalf of patients with COVID-19 and those in need of care for other essential health services and life-threatening conditions.” 4. World Central Kitchen

Website: https://donate.wck.org/give/236738/#!/donation/checkout Webpage description: “WCK is working across America to safely distribute individually packaged, fresh meals in communities that need support – for children and families to pick up and take home, as well as delivery to seniors who cannot venture outside. WCK is now active in dozens of cities providing nearly 200,000 fresh meals every day.” LOCAL RESOURCES:

1. Martha’s Table

Wesite: https://marthastable.networkforgood.com/projects/95536-martha-s-table-martha-s-table-expanded-programs- covid-19

During the COVID-19 outbreak Martha’s table is doubling down on our mission to support strong children, strong families and strong communities 2. The Capital Area Food Bank

Website: https://www.capitalareafoodbank.org/donate/ Webpage description: “Everyone deserves good food today and a bright future tomorrow. We work with 450+ nonprofit partners across the region. Together, we provide more than 30 million meals every year.” 3. GDS initiatives

3D printing faceshields : Jonah Doctor Loeb ’20: [email protected] and Margaret Tilmes ‘20: [email protected] 4. SFS initiatives

1. 3D printing faceshields : Ian Palk ’20: [email protected], Kamran Rowhani ’21: [email protected], Luke Primis ‘20:[email protected]

2. Sewing masks for healthcare workers-SFS initiative led by Mia Palk ’23:[email protected]

29 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020

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Period-Tracking Apps: Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing?

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The Larger Fight: How Gxrls in STEM is Combating Gender Inequality

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Vaccines: How are they Developed and Why Does it Take So Long?

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CAR-T Cell Therapy: Hope for the Future

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Seeing isn’t always believing:Synnesthesia and Prosopognasia

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AOCD. (n.d.). CHLOROQUINE. Retrieved March 18, 2020, from American Osteopathic College of Dermatology website: https://www.aocd.org/page/ Chloroquine

Christian A. Devaux, Jean-Marc Rolain, Philippe Colson, Didier Raoult, New insights on the antiviral effects of chloroquine against coronavirus: what to expect for COVID-19?, International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 2020, 105938, ISSN 0924-8579, https://doi.org/10.1016/j. ijantimicag.2020.105938. 31 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020

FDA. (2019, October 28). Development & Approval Process | Drugs. Retrieved March 18, 2020, from U.S. Food & Drug Administration website: https:// www.fda.gov/drugs/development-approval-process-drugs#top

French researcher posts successful COVID-19 drug trial. (2020, March 17). The Connexion. Retrieved from https://www.connexionfrance.com/French- news/French-researcher-in-Marseille-posts-successful-COVID-19-coronavirus-drug-trial-results

Khan, A. (2020, March 12). Why will it take so long to make a coronavirus vaccine that can prevent COVID-19? Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2020-03-12/why-does-it-take-so-long-to-make-a-coronavirus-vaccine

National Institute of Health. (2020, April 29). NIH clinical trial shows Remdesivir accelerates recovery from advanced COVID-19. Retrieved May 3, 2020, from https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-clinical-trial-shows-remdesivir-accelerates-recovery-advanced-covid-19

Picower Institute for Medical Research. (n.d.). Chloroquine: Mechanism of drug action and resistance in Plasmodium falciparum. PubMed. https://doi. org/10.1016/0163-7258(93)90056-j

Remdesivir for Potential Treatment of Covid-19. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.clinicaltrialsarena.com/projects/remdesivir/

Todaro, J., Rigano, G. (2020, March 13). An Effective Treatment for Coronavirus (COVID-19).https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTi-g18ftN ZUMRAj2SwRPodtscFio7bJ7GdNgbJAGbdfF67WuRJB3ZsidgpidB2eocFHAVjIL-7deJ7/pub

Wang, M., Cao, R., Zhang, L. et al. Remdesivir and chloroquine effectively inhibit the recently emerged novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in vitro. Cell Res 30, 269–271 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41422-020-0282-0

Thomas, K., & Sheikh, K. (2020, April 12). Small Chloroquine Study Halted Over Risk of Fatal Heart Complications. New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/12/health/chloroquine-coronavirus-trump.html

Henrietta Lacks and the Ethics of Medical Breakthroughs

Brown, D. L. (2018, June 25). Can the ‘immortal cells’ of Henrietta Lacks sue for their own rights? The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www. washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2018/06/25/can-the-immortal-cells-of-henrietta-lacks-sue-for-their-own-rights/

Cell Size and Scale. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2020, from Learn.Genetics website: https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/cells/scale/

Fresh Air. (2010, February 2). ‘Henrietta Lacks’: A Donor’s Immortal Legacy. Retrieved from NPR website: https://www.npr. org/2010/02/02/123232331/henrietta-lacks-a-donors-immortal-legacy

The Legacy of Henrietta Lacks. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2020, from Johns Hopkins Medicine website: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/ henriettalacks/upholding-the-highest-bioethical-standards.html

Ronson, J. (2017, May 18). The Science Behind Henrietta Lack’s Immortal Cells. Retrieved from Inverse website: https://www.inverse.com/ article/31538-henrietta-lacks-immortal-cells-cervical-cancer

Skloot, R. (2010, January 22). Henrietta Lacks’ ‘Immortal’ Cells (Interview by S. Zielinski) [Transcript]. Retrieved from Smithsonian Magazine website: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/henrietta-lacks-immortal-cells-6421299

Talk of the Nation. (2010, December 13). ‘Immortal’ Cells Of Henrietta Lacks Live On In Labs. Retrieved from NPR website:

Expected Economic Impact of the Coronavirus

Connerly, B. (2020, March 10). Rolling recessions are the likely economic impact of new Coronavirus And COVID-19. Forbes Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/billconerly/2020/03/10/rolling-recessions-are-the-likely-economic-impact-of-new-coronavirus-and-covid- 19/#36f835081320Bi

DOW closes in a bear market [chart]. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/business/live-news/stock-market-news-today-031120/index.html

Goolsbee, A. (2020, March 6). Why the Coronavirus could threaten the U.S. Economy even more than China’s. New York Times. Retrieved from https:// www.nytimes.com/2020/03/06/business/coronavirus-economy-us-china.html

Levanon, G. (2020, March 10). Two economic scenarios for the impact of coronavirus on the US. CNN. Retrieved from https://www.cnn. com/2020/03/10/perspectives/economy-recession-coronavirus/index.html

Menton, J. (2020, March 11). Dow drops into bear territory for the first time since the financial crisis, as investors fret overoronavirus. c USA Today. Retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/03/11/dow-tumbles-coronavirus-woes-counter-hope-fiscal-steps/5019349002/ 32 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020

The Ethics of Somatic and Germline Gene Editing

Cavaliere, G. (n.d.). The Ethics of Human Genome Editing. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/ethics/topics/human-genome-editing/ WHO- Commissioned-Ethics-paper-March19.pdf

Krause, K. W. (2016, May-June). CRISPR-Cas9: not just another scientific revolution: poised to transform the world as we know it, a new gene-editing system has bioethicists wringing their hands, physicians champing at the bit, and researchers dueling with demons. Skeptical Inquirer, 40(3), 24+. Retrieved from https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A451149081/GPS?u=georgetown_dhs&sid=GPS&xid=6d6356ae

NIH Image Gallery. (2018, May 10). Crispr Cas9 [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/nihgov/41124064215

Saey, T. H. (2015, May 30). Editing human germline cells debated: new techniques for modifying genes raise ethical questions. Science News, 187(11), 16+. Retrieved from https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A416301739/SCIC?u=georgetown_dhs&sid=SCIC&xid=5b25c42b

Vidyasagar, A. (2018, April 21). What is CRISPR? Retrieved April 1, 2020, from https://www.livescience.com/58790-crispr-explained.html

What are the Ethical Concerns of Genome Editing. (2017, August 3). Retrieved March 11, 2020, from National Human Genome Research Institute website: https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/policy-issues/Genome-Editing/ ethical-concerns

What are Genome Editing and CRISPR-Cas9? (2020, March 3). Retrieved March 11, 2020, from NIH U.S. National Library of Medicine website: https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/genomicresearch/genomeediting, wakehealth.edu/Research/Institutes-and-Centers/Wake-Forest-Institute-for- Regenerative-Medicine

Bioprinting

Berg, J., Hiller, T., Kissner, M. S., Qazi, T. H., Duda, G. N., Hocke, A. C., Hippenstiel, S., Elomaa, L., Weinhart, M., Fahrenson, C., & Kurreck, J. (2018). Optimization of cell-laden bioinks for 3D bioprinting and efficient infection with influenza A virus. Scientific Reports, 8(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1038/ s41598-018-31880-x

Gallagher, J. (2014, April 11). Doctors implant lab-grown vagina. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-26885335

Gallagher, J. (2016, February 16). Doctors 3D-print “living” body parts. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-35581454

Heilweil, R. (2018, November 28). It’s Alive! Eyes and Ears 3D-Printed From Human Flesh Could One Day Boost Our Senses. Wired. https://www.wired. com/story/3d-printed-flesh-body-parts/

Murphy, S. V., & Atala, A. (2014). 3D bioprinting of tissues and organs. Nature Biotechnology, 32(8), 773–785. https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt.2958

Murphy, S. V., De Coppi, P., & Atala, A. (2019). Opportunities and challenges of translational 3D bioprinting. Nature Biomedical Engineering, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41551-019-0471-7

Ong, C. S., Yesantharao, P., Huang, C. Y., Mattson, G., Boktor, J., Fukunishi, T., Zhang, H., & Hibino, N. (2018). 3D bioprinting using stem cells. Pediatric Research, 83(1), 223–231. https://doi.org/10.1038/pr.2017.252

Researchers Are Now Creating Body Parts Using 3D Printing. (2018, February 27). CELLINK. https://cellink.com/researchers-now-creating-body-parts- using-3d-printing/

Stang, D. (2017, May 30). Skin Graft. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/skin-graft

The Editors of the Economist. (2018, March 7). Here’s How 3D Printers Are Making Human Body Parts. Reader’s Digest. https://www.rd.com/health/ healthcare/3d-printer-body-parts/

Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM). (n.d.). Wake Forest School of Medicine. Retrieved March 10, 2020, from https://school.

Teen Stress

Bethune, S. (2014). Teen Stress Rivals That of Adults. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2014/04/teen-stress

Collins, J. (n.d.). 45% of Teens Say They’re Stressed “All the Time,” Turn to Online Resources and Apps for Help Says Poll on Stress and Mental Health. Globe Newswire. http://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2018/02/21/1372739/0/en/45-of-Teens-Say-They-re-Stressed-All-the-Time-Turn-to- Online-Resources-and-Apps-for-Help-Says-Poll-on-Stress-and-Mental-Health.html - Divecha, D. (2019, May 9). Our Teens Are More Stressed Than Ever: Why, and What Can You Do About It? Developmental Science. https://www. developmentalscience.com/blog/2019/5/7/our-teens-are-more-stressed-than-ever - Leahy, R. (2008). How Big a Problem is Anxiety? Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/anxiety-files/200804/how-big- problem- is-anxiety 33 | Gxrls in STEM Spring 2020

ARTWORK: ELLA MAJD ‘22 (SFS)